Synthesis of cadmium hydroxide nanostructure via composite-hydroxide-mediated approach

Polycrystalline cadmium hydroxide nanomaterials have successfully been synthesized by composite-hydroxide-mediated approach with growth time variation. The influence of growth time on structural, morphological, elemental, and optical properties was explored using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction results revealed the hexagonal and monoclinic phases of cadmium hydroxide along with rhombohedral impurity phase of cadmium carbonate. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy further endorsed the X-ray diffraction results and confirmed the Cd-O bonding vibrations. Time-dependent uniform distribution of spherical morphology was observed in the scanning electron micrographs of the product. The presence of cadmium and oxygen in the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy results fingerprinted the purity and formation of the desired nanomaterials. Crystallite size was decreased with the increase of growth time as estimated by the Debye-Scherrer method. Furthermore, the optical bandgap was measured by Tauc's relation using ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra and found to be in the range of 3.2-3.5 eV.